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ahledoux's review against another edition
informative
reflective
fast-paced
5.0
Through captivating storytelling and stunning artwork from over 20 artists, this graphic novel skillfully delves into the dynamics of power, belief, and manipulation within a cult setting.
vonderbash's review against another edition
4.0
A lot of random things are connected to cults, including “Little Women” and The Cheesecake Factory.
trevoryan's review against another edition
5.0
I love learning about cults and I love reading graphic novels, so this book is perfect for me. AND there were a few in here that I didn't know about. Highly recommended.
mockturtleneck's review against another edition
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
medium-paced
4.5
An informative look about cults in American history. I think commonly we see people who get sept up in cults as 'other' but the artists and writers in this book do a good job at returning humanity to people in cult and remind us anyone can fall prey to charlatans and creeps.
portlynhh's review against another edition
4.0
As with any anthology, some stories will stand out more than the others but overall this collection expanded what I already knew about some of these cults (I always love to be taught more) and the authors and artists provided so much heart to these stories.
croissanti's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
fast-paced
4.5
kevin_shepherd's review against another edition
4.0
Considering that many of today’s “orthodox religions” began as cults, including Christianity in its infancy, it is probably best to start off with a definition or two…
cult: a small religious group that is not part of a larger and more accepted religion and that has beliefs regarded by many people as extreme or dangerous. -Brittanica
cult: a religion regarded as unorthodox or spurious. -Merriam-Webster
…the point being that, though many cults are extremely nefarious, not all are dangerous (and even the ones that are didn’t necessarily start out that way).
Robyn Chapman has assembled a nicely illustrated, nonfiction, graphic compendium consisting of 18 chapters, each describing a different American cult and each written and drawn by a different artist. American Cult’s narratives span more than 300 years of North American history (1694-2020) and include familiar as well as obscure religious and pseudo-religious sects. Some of the cults are fairly benign, others are horrendously malevolent and cruel—almost all eventually devolved into some form of dictatorship.
This book feels a bit condensed. Fitting eighteen different religious incarnations into less than 200 pages would be difficult even in text, but to do so with imaginative art work leaves room for only the briefest of depictions. Still, even the shortest chapters piqued my interest and made me want to know more. 4 stars.
“. . . no strategy or set of politics is inherently revolutionary if it empowers an oppressive individual or inner circle over their peers. We have to be careful. This is America, and in America we have a history of prophets who will lead us from one cage to another.” (pg 97)
cult: a small religious group that is not part of a larger and more accepted religion and that has beliefs regarded by many people as extreme or dangerous. -Brittanica
cult: a religion regarded as unorthodox or spurious. -Merriam-Webster
…the point being that, though many cults are extremely nefarious, not all are dangerous (and even the ones that are didn’t necessarily start out that way).
Robyn Chapman has assembled a nicely illustrated, nonfiction, graphic compendium consisting of 18 chapters, each describing a different American cult and each written and drawn by a different artist. American Cult’s narratives span more than 300 years of North American history (1694-2020) and include familiar as well as obscure religious and pseudo-religious sects. Some of the cults are fairly benign, others are horrendously malevolent and cruel—almost all eventually devolved into some form of dictatorship.
This book feels a bit condensed. Fitting eighteen different religious incarnations into less than 200 pages would be difficult even in text, but to do so with imaginative art work leaves room for only the briefest of depictions. Still, even the shortest chapters piqued my interest and made me want to know more. 4 stars.
“. . . no strategy or set of politics is inherently revolutionary if it empowers an oppressive individual or inner circle over their peers. We have to be careful. This is America, and in America we have a history of prophets who will lead us from one cage to another.” (pg 97)
grimalkintoes's review against another edition
5.0
Robyn Chapman's graphic collection, American Cult, is a patchwork history of cults in America pieced together by different author-illustrators. By shifting the focus to justice and empathy, American Cult positions itself as a must-read for those seeking a compassionate and nuanced understanding of these complex, and often mystified, cult communities/stories.